


On Strange Waters

by SioDymph



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: AU, F/F, Florida AU, Gen, Mermaids, More tags to be added as story continues, title may change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-10-27 00:40:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10798122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SioDymph/pseuds/SioDymph
Summary: Candy was prepared for a boring, lonely summer since her only friend would be gone until next school year. But then one day she stumbles upon a mermaid whose running away from a forced marriage and on a quest to find true love. Suddenly this summer's become a lot stranger but also exciting.





	1. Chapter 1

It had been the last day of school. And normally Candy would of been happy. Free to have the entire summer. She could whatever she wanted. But this year was going to be different. Because this was going to be the first summer-

"Hey Candy! Do you think they'll have american cheese in Austria?"

"Uh, I'm not sure. They do have french fries in America though so it's always possible."

"Thats true. And worst case senario, I just go without singles for a few months. I think I'll live!"

This would be the first summer she would be alone. Her best friend, Grenda, was leaving for a family vacation that would take up the entire summer.

Before today she thought she would be fine. Maybe just hang out with other people until Grenda got back. But then today at the end of school they had all been given year books. In the back of the books were several pages for letters and autographs. Most kids had their pages filled in minutes, notes from friends even going onto the inside covers of their year books.

But in Candy's book she managed to get all of her teachers to write on a page or two. Besides them, her book was empty.

Those blank pages were a cold slap in the face for Candy. It dawned on her for the first time that besides Grenda she didn't have any other friends in school. Sure there were plenty of people she socially interacted with, she juggled robotics club and marching band which were both pretty large groups at school. But besides their club meetings she never talked to them much. And today's yearbook signing just solidified that. Wether her book was accidentally skipped over or if people did it on purpose her book stayed all but blank.

After school she didn't bring it up to Grenda. When she went to sign Grenda's book she saw that plenty of people from her wrestling team and choir group had helped fill her book. And while Grenda didn't say anything out loud as she signed her book Candy could tell Grenda was writing bigger than she normally did so her kind note took up an entire page. And after she seemed really excited for her trip, talking about mountains and old cities and cheese. Candy didn't want to bring her down.

So she tried to drop the subject even though it kept clawing at her mind. What the heck was she going to do? If no one could even bother to sign her year book, no one would invite her to anything. This was going to be a very long, miserable, stupid summer...

As they walked out of school to their bikes. Grenda turned to her. "Hey, sorry but I gotta go and finish packing everything. I promise I'll meet up with you later. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I think I'll head over to the Shack now though, don't have much else to do." Candy said trying to sound happier than she felt.

"Alright see ya at the Shack, girl!" Grenda called over her shoulder before speeding away.

On her own Candy made her way down to the shore front. They lived in a small costal town called Gravity Falls. And among the other tourist traps alongside the beach, there was a rickety beach store, museum and clubhouse called "The Mystery Shack". She and Grenda would always hang out there. They could probably work there they knew the place so well. Not to mention they both befriended nearly everyone who worked there.

As she pulled up alongside the Shack she heard a familiar voice shout from up on the roof.

"Hey dude! How's the last day of school?"

Candy looked up to see a red head a few years older than her waving down. It looked like she was repairing the sign that currently said "Mystery hack" instead of "Shack".

"Ok I guess... Did you even go to school Wendy?"

Wendy smirked. "Nah, the last week of school is for watching disney movies and moping over the seniors. So I said screw it and left after 1st period! Don't tell McGucket though, he'd gut me if he found out."

Everyone else at the Shack was pretty laissez faire about kids playing hooky. Everyone except Old Man McGucket, one of the mechanics and the social coordinator for the Shack. He always insisted everyone at least "try to get a damn education!"

To which the other mechanic for the Shack, Rick Sanchez, would usually snap back. "If you want a real education don't bother with school, that crap will only teach you to be a sheep!" And the two would go at it like the old farts they were.

Funny enough when Candy stepped into the Shack, that's exactly what she walked in to. The two seemed to be bickering over the best way to wire a giant circuit board until they realized Candy had come in.

McGucket noticed first, face quickly contorting from the snarl aimed to Rick to a genuine smile towards Candy. "Why hello there deary! How was school? Where's Grenda?"

"Hi. Fine. And she'll be here later, she just had to pack first."

"She better be! I wanted to say bye before she heads out on her little trip!" When he looked at Candy he realized she looked upset and his brows knit with worry. "Hun, whats the matter? You feeling alright?"

Candy thought of brushing it off, but Old Man McGucket seemed worried. She hoped he would be understanding. "It's just. I'm gonna miss her. And I'll be on my own all summer."

"Oh hun... Well if it makes you feel any better your free to hang out here whenever you like! We're always happy to have ya! Right Rick?" McGucket said, nudging Rick who had been hurriedly rearranging the machinery as McGucket was talking to her.

He pulled off a pair of magnifying goggles, looking at Candy before shrugging and going back to work on the machinery. "Yeah sure. She- at least she knows her way around an engine unlike the rest of these mor- ... bone-heads."  
  
"Uh thanks, I think. There's also this." Candy sighed as she pulled out her sad little yearbook.

"May I?" McGucket asked pulling on a pair of green glasses. Candy handed him the book. He skimmed through it humming. "Aw, this takes me back to my school days. Nice that all your photos are in color."

"Today everyone was supposed to sign each other's year books and well I..." Candy trailed off as McGucket flipped through the blank pages.

"Oh I'm sorry, deary."

Rick looked over his shoulder at the book before rolling his eyes. "Candy, listen kid, don't worry about crap like that. It's stupid. Books like that just collect dust, you'll never read it again. And so what? Y-you don't need people like that holding you back. You can only depend on yourself cause no one else will cover your ass when-"

"What I think Rick's trying to say," McGucket abruptly cut in, giving Rick a pointed look. "Is that years from now, things like this won't matter as much. But I'm sure it must hurt right now. Never a nice feeling, I should know."

McGucket seemed lost in thought for a moment before snapping back up with an idea. "Hey Candy? I know we aren't at your school but would you like us all to sign your book?"

"Eh, I don't mind." Candy said handing McGucket her pack of sharpies she brought for today, half of the markers hadn't even been opened. "Color?"

"Hmmmm," McGucket scratched at his beard before picking a green marking and smiling. "Thanks hun!"

"No problem." Candy said, seeing someone happy to sign her book made her feel a little better, but the sucky feeling still sat in her guts. "I was wondering, where are Soos and Melody?" Soos and his fiance, Melody were the owners of the shack who ran the store and put on little shows for all the tourists who came in.

"Oh they're giving a museum tour," McGucket said as he began writing in her book. Writing a little bit larger than he normally did, Candy noticed. "And last I heard Wendy was still up on the roof. But you can go into the gift shop! I think Fernando is restocking in there!"

He said the last part with a little bit of teasing. It had become well known that both Candy and Grenda had crushes on the youngest employee at the Shack. A foreign exchange student, Fernando who seemed to do everything perfect from swimming and diving to speaking fluently in several languages to mastering the guitar.

"Thanks! Uh, I think I'll go back outside and hang out with Wendy."

"Alright deary, but be careful climbing up to the roof. This old place's coated in splinters!"

As she left the room, she could hear Rick and McGucket arguing under their breath but they were too quiet for Candy to make out any words.

Up on the roof Wendy was hammering away at the slightly repaired sign. Candy quietly joined her, looking out at the roof out at the town spread all around them and the beach not far off. She was hoping she could see Grenda coming.

"Ugh, I'm gonna need like a whole week of being lazy to make up for this!" Wendy groaned, saying it as a joke. But both of them knew it would probably be true. In the few years now Wendy had been at the Shack she'd never once gotten the employee of the month award. And she only had four people to compete against.

They didn't say much after that. At one point McGucket climbed up to give Candy her book back along with a couple of waters. Candy flipped back through the book to find that everyone at the Shack had written in it. Even Rick, which surprised Candy since he'd been poo-pooing the whole thing earlier. Even Wendy took a break to sign her book while they were both up there.

Finally as Wendy finished up her note, Candy saw Grenda biking along the sidewalk towards the shack. She stood up and waved at her as she got closer to the shack.

"Hey girl! Getting a head start on your summer tan?" Grenda shouted up.

Crap the sun! Candy hadn't even thought of that! She looked over her arms and shoulders but nothing looked burnt yet, thank god.

"What do you wanna do?" Grenda asked.

Candy went over to the ladder and started making her way down to the ground. "I don't know, I'm up for anything!"

"Alright, I'll go say hi to everyone, then let's go over to the beach!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Candy said as they headed inside. And later out onto the beach.

That day stayed out by the water well after the sun set and the oranges and pinks disappeared from the sky. Candy was lost in thought chewing at her cheek when Grenda snapped her out of her state.

"Hey! Is it a full moon tonight, or is it one of those almost ones?"

"Huh?" Candy asked before Grenda pointed to the moon again. She squinted trying to look closer. It seemed to be a full circle with no slivers missing, even after she readjusted her glasses. "I think it is!"

Grenda seemed to light up suddenly. "You know what that means?"

"The half-way point of the lunar cycle?" Candy said shrugging.

"No! Well yeah I guess, but I was talking about magic!"

"Magic?" Candy asked. She always saw herself as more of a scientist, but then again there was so much still to be discovered and understood about the world.

"Heck yeah! Think about it girl! Werewolves, witch potions, they all deal with full moons! Its like a backbone to magic! I bet we could do something cool!" As she talk she began wandering all around the beach, looking for something.

"How exactly would we do... whatever it is your thinking of? We're not witches."

Grenda kept pacing around, looking out at the water, down at the sand as she spoke. "Actually I am! My mom's always going on about how we're descended from druids, and I think some of my Aunts are Wiccan or something. I got magic in my blood Candy! It's in my veins!"

"Ok so what do you want to do then? Make a potion? Curse someone?" Quietly Candy couldn't help but wonder if Grenda could cast a spell that could keep her here for the summer.

Instead of anything Candy thought of, Grenda bent down and picked up a small shell. She cleaned the sand off of it. She held it close to her face, looking at it intensly. Then like she was saying a prayer she said.

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIII wiiiiiiiiish forrrrrr... A summer romance with a hotty!"

She kissed the shell and chucked it back into the ocean with all her strength. The shell arched before splashing back into the ocean several yards out.

"What the-" Candy couldn't believe her.

"What?" Grenda said laughing, "It might work! You never know!"

"But... why?"

"I don't know. Just kinda felt right? Come on you try, it's fun!"

But Candy shook her head laughing. "No way! You know how gross that was? That was on the ground and you just kissed it!"

"Whatever, more wishes for Grenda!" She said before dropping to the sand to look for more shells.

"Oh my, you're crazy!" Candy couldn't but laugh more watching Grenda scooped up piles of sand and picked the shells out.

She just grinned at Candy with her handful of shells shaking them around so they clattered. "Hey it could happen! It's a full moon, anything's possible! Come on girl! You know you want to try!"

Grenda was right though, Candy couldn't resist. Caving in she took three tiny shells from Grenda. A yellow, a white and a pink one. Brushing some of the sand of them she looked over each one carefully. Really thinking of what she really wanted to wish for. She didn't say her wishes out loud. As she kissed each of her shells and tossed them back into the ocean in her mind she whispered.

_I wish for something exciting to happen this summer. An adventure, a mystery, a romance maybe? Anything!_

_I also wish I could have more friends._

_And keep Grenda safe while she's gone. Please._

One tiny splash after the next the shells dropped into the waves and disapeared.

This was definitely one of the stranger things she and Grenda had done in a while. And that was really saying something seeing as one day they spent the entire day with forked taped onto their fingers. But at least they were having a fun last day.

After Grenda made several more wishes on shells, laughing and wandering along the shore, it was finally time to leave. Together they both made their way back up from the beach, side by side and still giggling. She was really going to miss Grenda this summer. But she was right, who knew? Maybe this summer might be different.

She could only wish so as they headed for the parking lot and said their final goodbyes. Until they saw each other in the fall.

~~~

A full moon hung high above the sea. Bright enough that beams of moonlight sunk down into the water illuminating the world, if only for a few fleeting moments. And through the sleepy, pitch black waters someone was swimming. Within the stray beams flecks of pink scales would sparkle, standing out from the dark, murky water surrounding it. Under the cover of night a lone figure swam, propelling swiftly yet silently.

It had been hours now, continuous swimming. Her tail was starting to ache. But she couldn't stop. Not yet. If she stopped now her family could just call upon the ocean currents to catch her and drag her back down to the bottom of the ocean. And all this would be for nothing! If she could just get closer to land, away from their power and control, she would be fine. She could be free. So not sparing any moment to rest her weary fins or fluttering gills she kept pushing herself to keep going.

In her mind she could already see her future destination. Along the water that hugged land, all sand bars and mangrove islands. She had never been there but she'd heard plenty of stories from her Grunkles. They had told her and her brother so many stories of their explorations she might as well be an expert on humans and land already! The places where the water became brackish, "that means less salty, mixed with fresh water," Dipper would probably say. And it would be warmed by the sun all the time. But a place where you had to beware of things like tides. Where if you weren't careful you could end up beached on accident. And worse, place where you had to beware humans. All their boats, gadgets and weapons. But she had confidence she would be fine. Besides, for all the scary things her Grunkles had said about humans, they had also said that there were a few who were their closest friends while on their adventures.

As she swam she was surprised to find she could feel subtle changes her Grunkles had talked about, the water was getting warmer. Even the taste was changing. She couldn't place exactly what it was yet but it was definitely different. Sparing a few seconds, she swam up to the surface to look around.

High above her, higher than anything else the night sky stretched out. Infinitely to her eyes. The moon was so bright it glowed, it had rings around it. And stars were scattered everywhere. They seemed to twitch whenever she tried to focus on just one speck of light.

It all reminded her a lot of the night a few years ago now that her Great Uncles took her and her brother to the surface to see the stars when they were just turned 13. She and Dipper had never left the kingdom but since they were officially teenagers their mother and father gave them permission to leave for just one night. That night Grunkle Stan pointed out constellations the stars formed and the tales that surrounded each one. Grunkle Stan would make up his own stories jokes about dumb heroes and queens. And her Grunkle Ford explained that even though the stars looked like tiny specks, they were apparently lightyears away and so big they could consume and destroy the entire planet, inside and out.

It was still so wild to think about, especially since these monstrous gas balls looked small enough to decorate her arms and scales like glitter.

Now she was up on the surface, and completely alone for the first time. Not even Dipper was with her. She was on her own.

She tried to remember what her Grunkles had taught her about exploring. When in doubt look at the sky, see where everything's moving and then figure out where your supposed to be moving next. So far it looked like she was still on the right track, just a little north of where she had been heading last. And since the summer solstice was fast approaching she scanned the horizon for the familiar constellations her Grunkles had said should be just along the water line.

Sure enough as she bobbed in the waves she saw them towards the west. Towards land. And even though she felt exhausted enough to pass out in open waters she started swimming again, grinning the whole time.

This was going to be an adventure. Her first adventure!

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok! After a little more time than I had originally hoped I finally have a second chapter for this story! Hope you guys like it!

When the mermaid finally reached her destination, she collapsed into the muddy sand gasping. She could barely breathe. Her fins felt numb. She was exhausted beyond anything she’d ever felt before. Like every time she ever had a fever mushed together. She felt like she could pass out right here and sleep for a hundred years. But she did it. She really did it. She made it all the way to land. All by herself. Just the thought made her laugh even while she was sick with exhaustion. She actually did it... Taking some time to rest she looked at the world around her. She was in shallow water, lying down in the sand by a gnarled mangrove island. Well past the reefs outlining the area.

Those had made her sad, she had been told coral reefs were beautiful and full of color and life but as she passed the area all she had seen were these grey masses. There was barely alive anymore. When she had seen them early this morning it almost made her want to cry, seeing a so desolate. But she kept pushing forwards and took the dead reef as a reminder that humans could be deadly and she had to be careful.

And with those thoughts in her mind she had kept going, further and further towards land. The water had gotten so brackish it barely even tasted like water to her. And then she kept swimming until at last she came here to the mangroves.

Her Grunkles had taught her and her brother all about land’s strange plants. One she always thought was neat was a tree that tied land and sea together. The Mangrove. With thick, water-tight bark, mangroves would plant themselves out near sand bars. When they grew, their roots would branch out underwater to securely anchor themselves into the weak sand. And as more mangroves grew, they would cluster together keeping all the sand from moving with the tides. Other plants would start growing alongside the mangroves too. They would all keep building and building off one another until finally you had these nifty islands made of mangrove trees scattered along the coast. And far away from the ocean’s strong currents most importantly.

She looked at the mangrove island she was lying next to with a lazy smile. It was like a big underwater net made from tree roots. Or maybe a maze. Tiny transparent fish would weave in and around all the roots, gliding around with each on coming wave before snapping and shimmying away from the strange pink stranger on their island. She spotted a few crabs scuttling along the roots, flicking their claws out to grab anything floating along the current. No matter where she looked though, everything looked so green… More green than she had ever seen growing up in her home. She had been told about tiny little specs called algae, but she never realized just how big of an impact they made for water so close to land and so close to the sun. It was surprising, but it was also pretty to her. Algae was like earth’s own natural green paint!

Surrounded by some much green, grey, brown and light blue, her bright pink tale shined like a sparkling gem. Sure she’d have to be careful, figure out how to hide her big beautiful tale from any possible human eyes, but for now she couldn’t help but admire the way it just stuck out and seemed completely unique to all this seaside marshland. While her upper body stayed on the ground she let her tail float up and bob along with the current gently pulling through the mangrove island. Back towards open water eventually. And while she watched her tail sparkle under the sun beams, she stayed firmly rooted in her spot. Happy to watch all the flecks of light that bounced off her shimmering fins. By staying so still the fish nearby became calmer, and more curious about this stranger in their midst. A few of the braver ones even came out of their hiding spots in the mangroves to see her better. Swimming boldly right along the mermaid’s tail.

She slowly lift a hand up, letting it ride along the current loosely. Wiggling her fingers she waited for the fish to come closer to her. And when they did they circled her hand, bumping into her fingers whenever it was jerked by the water.

“Hey little guys!” She said, slowly bringing her hand closer to her face. A few of the fish scattered, hurrying back to the safety of their mangrove roots, but two stayed by her hand and she got to see them close up. They seemed to look clear, but she couldn’t see through them like she thought she would. Maybe they were just a really light green that blended in with the water? And they seemed so lost trying to navigate around her. She wondered if she was the first mermaid they’d ever seen. At least a deep-sea one like herself.

That also brought up another question for the young mermaid, were there any other merfolk living in this area. She had met a few traveling pods while she was swimming out in open water, and she had heard about communities that lived along the coast secretly near humans, but she had yet to see anyone else while she was here. Hopefully they were friendly. Maybe she should go look for them, introduce herself maybe.

When she went to get up off the ground her head spun and she floated back down. Later. She’d go out looking later. For now she was just going to sleep. And when she felt better she was going to go find something to eat. Then she was going to look for other merfolk.

She tried to get comfortable. Pulling herself closer towards the island and tucking her tail into the net of tree roots, hidden from prying eyes. Letting the summer sun warm her skin, and the cool sand under her cradle her arms, she closed her eyes. Drifting off as the weak current tugged at her hair and tiny fish swam circles around her.

Before falling asleep completely a thought came back to her. She did it. And she did it all by herself. For now she was really free.

And despite everything she rested feeling completely at ease. Even with her exhaustion and the looming threat from humans the young Mermaid felt safer and happier than she had in weeks.

~~~

Candy felt alright when she woke up in the morning. It was a Saturday so she didn’t feel that instinct to start panicking and get ready for school. She knew she’d probably get that way Monday morning, but for now she just got up and tried to go through her weekend morning routine. Turn on the TV to see if any good cartoons were on. Make a couple pancakes just because she felt like it, drowning them in maple syrup the way she always liked since nobody was around to stop her. Both her parents would already be gone for work and wouldn’t be back until late afternoon if they left for their lunch breaks. Everything felt normal, Candy was fine.

It wasn’t until after breakfast that everything with Grenda really settled in again. Candy almost sent her a text to come over but stopped herself. Grenda’s phone would be off most of today. Because of the plane ride. Because she was going to be gone the entire summer.

Then everything that had been building up since yesterday, the last day of school, going to the shack, making wishes on the beach, it all culminated into one big miserable feeling. She just sat there, barely watching dumb cartoons on TV. She wasn’t completely sure why she was even upset. She knew this was coming, she had been trying to prepare herself. But now that it was actually happening she just felt so lonely and depressed. She didn’t have any other friends at school. She was going to be alone all summer. Just sitting here for three months straight watching TV, until bandcamp started in august. But it wasn’t like she had any friends in marching band so that wouldn’t be much better. This was pathetic, she was pathetic. It was like she was codependent on Grenda and now that she was gone…

Candy shook her head as if that would get rid of all the negative thoughts going through her head. She needed to get out of this house or she might just go crazy. But she could only think of one place she could go. Hopefully they wouldn’t mind her coming to the shack again today. She had no idea where she could go if they told her to go home.

Eventually she had enough and decided just to go and see. So after writing a quick note for her parents, turning off the TV and all the lights, and locking up her house, she took out her bike and rode towards the mystery shack.

The ride that normally felt like seconds when she was with Grenda felt like hours now. Most of the time the two would always talk to pass the time, Candy never realized just how far away the Mystery Shack was from their neighborhood… She ended up taking a small break when she got to the top of the bridge that connected part of the town on the main land with all the little hotels, restaurants and shops crammed along the intercostal on the other side with all the beachfront property. Standing up there she took it all in. The forests of marsh growth all along the water on the mainland, her hometown in the distance, all the tourists traps that made up the shore front on the other side, all the beach spread out for miles, and just behind it the ocean stretching out beyond the horizon. It was no lie the area Candy had been raised in could be pretty.

She just wished Grenda were there to appreciate it with her. She’d probably say something funny, like how the only people who lived out on the beach that weren’t tourists were either super rich or super old. Or maybe she freak out because she spotted another dolphin near the docks. She always seemed to have a knack for that.

She ended up spending the rest of the ride thinking like that. Seeing little things that would immediately remind her of Grenda. Make her wonder what her friend was doing right now while she flew to Austria. By the time she got to the Shack she was in a much more sullen mood than she had hoped.

Both Soos and Melody were behind the welcome desk when Candy came in. Melody had part of the Ms. Mystery suit on along with its red bowtie on suspenders while her fiancé Soos wore the iconic fez always paired with the suit. She had been hoping the desk would be empty when she got here, Candy really didn’t feel like talking to anyone but now she couldn’t avoid it. Melody read her face and immediately began to frown.

“Hey Candy, you alright?” She asked.

“Not really.” Candy said honestly. “Is it alright if I stay here today?”

Melody was quick to reassure her, “Of course sweetie! You know you’re always welcome here, along with any of your friends.”

“Yeah, we love having you around here dude!” Soos chimed in.

“Why don’t you go grab something to drink and head down to the museum? We got half an hour till our next tour is scheduled, Wendy and Fernando should be cleaning up if you want to hang out with them.” Melody continued, gently. She already knew about Grenda being gone, everyone else did at the Mystery Shack.

She wanted to say something nice, but Candy still felt upset about the whole thing. Hopefully later she would remember to thank them. For now she just grabbed a bottled soda from the gift shop and went into the Museum section of the shack.

When Candy walked in she saw Fernando sweeping the floor and Wendy leaned up against the “totally real” taxidermy Skunk-Ape-Man of the Everglades. Wendy noticed her first, pointing finger guns her way “Hey dude!”

Fernando looked up to see her come in and gave her a small smile. Honestly, how could one boy be so cute without ever even trying?! If she weren’t still sad she probably would have freaked out. Especially when he quietly said “Hi Candy!” before going back to sweeping.

“Ugh- Seriously! Is she here _again?_ ” She heard Rick shout somewhere up in the ceiling.

“Shut up Rick! Candy does what she wants!” Wendy yelled immediately defending her. And somewhere nearby she could make out Fiddleford snapping at him but it sounded much more muffled.

“Uh, Hi?” Candy felt a lot less sure if she should stay here. But she already biked all the way out here so there wasn’t much she could do now. And in all honestly she’d rather be here and deal with everyone yelling and shouting than spend the whole day home alone. “So… What are you guys up to?”

“Oh, the usual. Cleaning up the place before the next bus of tourists come through.” Fernando said with a sigh before glaring at Wendy. “While some people do a great job _supervising_.”

Wendy smirked still making no move to get up from her spot. “Gotta take pride in my job buddy!”

“You know this would go a lot faster if you actually helped.”

“Yeah but then Soos would give us more stuff to do. And I really don’t feel like moving.” Wendy said dramatically stretching her arms above her head until Candy heard several joints pop.

Fernando grumbled and went back to sweeping. “You never do anything.”

Wendy was quick to retort, putting her hands up in mock surrender. “Hey! I fixed the S outside! That was something! Stupid thing took all day!”

“You did that on purpose! You kept taking breaks to go suntan up on the roof!” Fernando snapped back.

“Jeez, Candy when do you turn 15? Cause I need new people to leech work off of. This one’s getting all whiny.” Wendy said with a teasing tone. But she relented a little when Fernando kept pouting. “Fine, next room I promise I’ll fix up all the glass cases. That sound fair?”

Fernando looked at Wendy before sighing in defeat. “Fine… But you better start pulling your weight. I have no idea how this place functions when I’m out of the States.”

“Oh it doesn’t. We just mope around for months, waiting for you to come back.”

“Shut up!” Fernando groaned while Wendy laughed a little through her nose.

Candy followed them through the next several sections of the museum, all the way from swamp-monster room all the way to the priates-who-might-have-actually-existed-but-have-been-used-so-much-for-retail-the-point-was-obsolete room. At one point when they were dusting the tortoise shells of “Real-life Floridian Kappas”, Candy offered to help. Wendy had been happy to let her takeover but Fernando stopped her, reminding them she had to be 15 to work here legally, much to Wendy’s disappointment. The whole time though Candy did begin to feel a little better. She didn’t say much, just listened to the two of them talk mostly. She wasn’t as close to Wendy or Fernando as she was with Grenda, she only saw the two here at the shack and they were both a few grades higher than her, but it was nice to hang out with them.

By the time they were done, the next museum tour was getting ready to go. Both Soos and Melody were in costumes, ready to go in full suits despite the insane summer heat outside. Soos thanked them all for working, even if it was all Fernando mostly, and began leading their newest group of tourists into the Mystery Shack’s “World Famous Museum of Mystery: the Fantastical Creatures of Florida”.

Melody made up the caboose of the group, corralling all the people inside. But just before shutting the curtains to the museum she turned back to the three of them.

“You know…” She said with a small smile, tugging at her hair unconsciously as she talked. “If you guys want you could take out some of the rentables. Go advertise for us out on the water?”

Along with all their tourist events, the Mystery Shack also had recently added rentable stuff like kayaks and paddleboard for people to take out and paddle around the intercostal in-between the beaches and the mainland. Less people had been coming to the shack during the off-season so they had added rentables to keep the Shack afloat. They were fun and whenever things got to quiet Soos or Melody would send them out with signs to go advertise the Mystery Shack to any boaters out on the water.

It was supposed to be a job but more often than not, going out on the rentables had become a reward for the Mystery Shack employees. Sometimes even Soos and Melody would take a break and go out using the paddleboards for a couple hours, temporarily abandoning their jobs as the head-honchos to go have some fun. The only rules were to stay in the intercostal, stay out of the way of any larger boats and ship, and not to damage the merchandise. And of everyone in the Shack only Rick was never allowed onto the rentables after he was caught trying to rig a motor onto one of the kayaks so he could beat some rich dude’s speedboat in a race out to open waters, successfully breaking all 3 rules of the rentables in one go.

“Are you sure?” Fernando asked. If all three of them were gone then that meant nobody would be manning the front counter.

“Yep! Rick and Fiddleford are up in the roof rewireing and besides that there’s isn’t anything else that really needs attending to. Go out and have some fun!” Melody said with a smile. She kept glancing down at Candy and she couldn’t help but wonder if she was doing this for her.

But the others weren’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth and they dragged Candy outside and together they went to the rentables rack where all the brightly colored kayaks were hung up on the walls.

“This is gonna be great! I haven’t been out on these thing in forever!” Wendy said as she hoisted one kayak down after another, barely breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile Fernando and Candy were struggling to hold each side of just one red kayak. But eventually after a little bit of heavy-lifting the two got the kayak out to the nearby docs and into the water. After a few trips all three of them had a kayak and were ready to set off. Looking out at the still water on the intercostal Candy couldn’t help but hope staying around Wendy and Fernando would keep her from thinking about Grenda so much.

 


End file.
